Like most of us, Ways and Means loves Saratoga Race Course.
She has the record to prove it. The 5-year-old mare has won 5-of-6 races here, including the 2024 Test Stakes (G1). Her only defeat at the Spa was a second-place finish by only a half-length in the 2023 Spinaway Stakes (G1).
Otherwise, her ledger is perfect at Saratoga, including back-to-back wins (2025-26) in the Bed o’ Roses Stakes (G2).
Ways and Means will look to build on that legacy on Saturday as the 9-5 morning-line favorite in the $500,000 Ballerina Stakes (G1) for fillies and mares at 7 furlongs.
The Ballerina is a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) on Oct. 31 at Keeneland. The race is also one of the many outstanding attractions on the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) undercard. The stakes-filled lineup includes the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1), the $500,000 Forego Stakes (G1), the $500,000 Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) and the $400,000 Lake Placid (G2).
Start your handicapping early. First post is 11:05 a.m. ET for the biggest day of the Saratoga season with a 14-race card.
We’re always looking for value plays, but it is hard to look beyond Ways and Means. Not only does she love this surface, but the distance is right up her alley with a record of 3-1-0 in 4 tries at Saratoga going 7 furlongs.
She is well rested since her second Bed o’ Roses win on June 5.
“I like her with time between starts,” trainer Chad Brown said. “She ran so good off a layoff last time, it keeps her fresh for the Breeders’ Cup. She's one of the top horses in the division. She's battled through adversity with some physical issues, some illness, but she's still here at age 5 at the top level.”
This won’t be an easy assignment. The race drew a packed field of 12 including four other Grade 1 winners: Kilwin (2025 Test), Usha (2025 LaBrea), R Disaster (2026 Derby City Distaff) and Eclatant (2026 Madison). This is an extremely talented group of fillies and mares.
That’s where the value comes in as we zero in Usha (12-1) for the Hall of Fame team of jockey John Velazquez and trainer Bob Baffert. She has the back class to be a major factor, and she prepped for this with a third-place effort as the even-money favorite in the Johnstone Stakes against New York breds earlier this month.
Since then, Baffert tightened the screws. Last Saturday he sent Usha out for a 5-furlong bullet work in 59.80 seconds, the fastest of the morning at that distance. She looks primed for a rebound effort.
Eclatant (3-1) landed the outside post as she tries to extend her winning streak to four including the Madison at Keeneland. She has good early speed so jockey Manny Franco can put her in play early. The 7 furlongs works to her advantage with a long straight run from the backstretch chute until they hit the turn. This will be her Saratoga debut for trainer Brad Cox.
Trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. tried to cover as many bases as possible by entering three in the Ballerina: R Disaster (5-1), Paradise City (30-1) and Grammy Girl (30-1).
Post time for the Ballerina is 5:49 p.m. ET, the 12th race on the card.
1 Echo Sound (Luis Saez, Rusty Arnold), 15-1
2 Kilwin (Jose Ortiz, Rusty Arnold), 8-1
3 Munnings Express (Jose Lezcano, Linda Rice), 30-1
4 Usha (John Velazquez, Bob Baffert), 12-1
5 Grammy Girl (Javier Castellano, Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 30-1
6 Kappa Kappa (Paco Lopez, Butch Reid, Jr.), 30-1
7 Ways and Means (Flavien Prat, Chad Brown), 9-5
8 Maida (Sheldon Russell, Brittany Russell), 10-1
9 Paradise City (Edgard Zayas, Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 30-1
10 R Disaster (Tyler Gaffalione, Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 5-1
11 Beauty Reigns (Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott), 15-1
12 Eclatant (Manny Franco, Brad Cox), 3-1
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
